


Not In Love

by rudbeckia



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 02:11:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6176209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rudbeckia/pseuds/rudbeckia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phasma reveals she wants more than a professional relationship with Hux. <br/>Hux has his own rules about how that might happen.<br/>Will Phasma play along?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not In Love

**Author's Note:**

> From a prompt: It was too late. - something with Hux  
> Had to be Phasma. I can't resist their ship name. Phux!

Phasma wished she could take back what she had just said, but it was too late. She closed her eyes and shook her head then replaced her helmet, turned and strode towards the door.  
"Stop."  
Hux's word was a command. Phasma halted but did not turn. Hux stood behind her.  
"What, exactly, did you mean by that comment?"

Glad of the privacy provided by her armour, Phasma steadied her voice.  
"Nothing, sir. I apologise for my... my insubordination. It will not happen again."  
Hux nodded once.  
"See that it does not."

Hux's tone suggested dismissal and Phasma covered two more steps toward the door, face burning and head spinning. She half-settled on a plan to walk sedately, head up, until out of sight of the General's briefing room, then she could run.

"Phasma."  
Hux's voice, softer, a request not an order. She halted, eyes closed and hands clenched, breathing carefully.  
"Did you think I could fall in love with you?"  
Phasma burned inside.  
"Of course not, sir, that would be ridiculous. With your permission I will return to--"  
"Ridiculous? Why?"  
Hux stepped in front of Phasma and looked at his reflection in her chrome. He was frowning. Not angry, perplexed.   
"Because I am your Captain, you are my General and we must maintain a professional working relationship based on respect for each other and for the chain of command, Sir."  
Phasma snapped to attention. Hux nodded.  
"Very good, Captain Phasma. That is exactly the line you will take with everyone currently outside this room. Do you understand me?"  
Phasma did not respond. She flustered inside her helmet, processing Hux's words.

"Sir. Do you mean... what do you mean?"  
"Oh come on," Hux scoffed. "Do I have to spell it out? Of course I want you. Look at you, the most impressive officer under my command. But you are my subordinate, my inferior. We can have each other if that is what you desire, but we must be discreet and you must understand the limits imposed by our difference in status."  
Phasma was unsure of whether to laugh or cry. She took a deep breath. And another. Finally, a thought came to her.  
"What's in it for me?"

Hux pushed out a snort.  
"Ha! Now you are talking like an officer. You get... well. We can arrange certain privileges and upgraded accommodation, I can't have you returning to your curtained off corner of the bunkroom after you've been with me. We will discuss anything else you might ask for later. Return to your duties, Captain."

Phasma saluted and left. She went first to an unnocupied interrogation room and sat to calm herself down and think. It was true that she found Hux attractive; he was successful, decisive, ruthless in pursuit of advancement for the First Order. Phasma admired his single-minded simplicity of purpose. And, she sighed, his height, the occasional smile that lit his whole face, and his red hair definitely helped. 

It was much later when Phasma received a message on her datapad ordering her to move her belongings to a private room on the next deck. It took her one trip, stormtroopers were not known for accumulating personal possessions. For all of her life, back as far as she could remember, Phasma had been allocated resources as need dictated and passed on what she no longer required to new recruits. Once settled, her datapad flashed again. This time the message was personal and auto-deleted after fifteen seconds. Phasma checked her hair, put on her helmet and marched to Hux's quarters.

She paused and checked her posture, her cape and her breathing before alerting Hux to her arrival. The door opened and she walked in. Phasma stared. Hux with his uniform in slight disarray was breathtakingly beautiful. His hair was slightly disordered. His collar unfastened and his tunic opening revealed a pale vee of skin, cut off before the apex by a black close-fitting undershirt. Hux's decorative belt hung loose over his shoulder. His boots were nowhere in sight, Hux padded across the floor on delicate looking narrow feet that matched with his long, graceful fingers. 

Phasma studied those graceful fingers. Hux was holding something out. Phasma whipped off her helmet as Hux offered her a glass of something deep red.   
"Best I could do at short notice. Get comfortable." Hux waved at the sofa. "Take your armour off."  
Phasma put her helmet on a chair and removed her gauntlets. She rubbed a hand through her hair and accepted the glass with a smile. She sipped, closed her eyes and swallowed. Hux laughed.  
"Better than the stuff we serve guests, yes?"

Hux vanished into a room behind his living area and reappeared without his belt and tunic. He stood in his undershirt and trousers, watched Phasma remove her chrome piece by piece and stack it in a precarious heap on the chair with her helmet. Hux sat on the sofa and beckoned Phasma to sit beside him. 

"Is this what you wanted, Phasma?"  
Phasma frowned.   
"Almost."  
"Oh?" Hux was suddenly intensely attentive. "What's missing from this seduction?"   
Phasma smiled but stayed silent. She placed her glass carefully on the table by her elbow and swung herself around to straddle Hux.  
"I do not require to be seduced. Perhaps this show of... of... romance? Whatever this is... makes you feel better about using me, but I am--"  
Phasma landed on her back, winded. Hux stood over her, scowling.  
"Yes, this fake seduction makes me feel better. Would it kill you to be nice and play along, Captain?"

Phasma felt her face flare again. Hux noticed and offered a hand to help her up. When she stood unable to make eye contact, Hux did not release her hand.  
"Sit down, drink your wine. This affair is a convenience for both of us, Captain, but that's no reason to rush."   
Phasma raised her eyes to find Hux with that same perplexed expression as before. He leaned forward and kissed Phasma once, lips parted but without any urgency. In that second, Phasma realised what show of reticence Hux needed from her. She pulled back and sat down.

"I can't imagine that you get much time for intimacy," Hux said as he sat beside Phasma, arm across the back of the sofa behind her shoulders, and sipped his wine, "as a stormtrooper."  
"No," Phasma lied, "the barrack rooms lack privacy and you keep your soldiers busy, General."  
Phasma thought it best not to mention her occasional frantic but sweet meetings with Dopheld Mitaka in the tiny bunkroom he shared with two other, understanding, command centre officers.  
Hux nodded and took another sip. He aimed a smile at Phasma.  
"So I have no jealous rivals to remove?"

Phasma paused before she looked away and shook her head. Hux took the bait.  
"Oh I see, you don't want to tell me. Well, I can find out from security anyway if I have to. Understand this, Phasma, if you are with me, you are with no one else."  
"What about you?" Phasma replied. "Are you seeing anyone else? I mean... there are rumours."  
"Don't trouble your head with rumour, Phasma." Hux frowned. "It is beneath your dignty." Phasma smiled and counted in her head. She got to four before Hux spoke again. "What rumours?"  
"Oh," Phasma smiled and glanced down, timing her response. "It's nothing. One of my stormtroopers saw you and Master Ren--"  
"REN!" Hux almost choked on his drink. Phasma laughed. Hux reddened and laughed with her. "I will agree to one thing, Phasma. Never mention Kylo Ren to me outside of duty and I will not transfer Chief Petty Officer Mitaka somewhere uncivilised."

Phasma did not insult Hux with denial. She finished her drink and put the glass down. Hux took her hand and led her to his bedroom.


End file.
